Alconbury Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:46 | Winning time: 4m 41.2s

Before Midnight¹⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

1/2

Displayed a game attitude but arguably fortunate to notch a second bumper win at Fakenham (2m, good to soft) in April; bred for a future over hurdles (dam a 3m winner), and this is far from the most taxing starting point.

Form: 131-

Celtic Joy²⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle

28/1

€70,000 3yo; difficult to draw too many positives from his two runs in bumpers, including over an extended 1m5f here (soft) in January, but possibly stronger physically for the break now switched to hurdles (debut).

Form: 56-

Cotswold Way¹⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 123

11/2

£45,000 4yo; has plenty of hurdles experience, easily producing his best effort when a 50/1 runner up at Wincanton (2m4f, good to soft) in April (Stylish Moment third); today's conditions are fine for seasonal return.

Form: 5372-

Cydercourt¹⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

33/1

Showed a degree of promise in his first two starts in bumpers (form respectable), but disappointing at Hereford in April (form also given a knock at Hexham on Saturday); more to find on hurdles debut.

Form: 345-

Light Gunner⁴⁰⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr Frederick Tett⁽⁵⁾| T: H Tett

100/1

Eight-race Flat maiden (49-rated); well beaten fourth in a 1m3f+ Lingfield claimer latest; highly unlikely to be competitive on hurdles debut.

Form:

Stylish Moment¹⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 118

10/1

Placed in three of his starts to date, including twice over hurdles; however, he finished 11L behind the second placed Cotswold Way at Wincanton in April (2m4f, good to soft), so must find extra if to reverse those placings.

Form: 3633-

Moody Maggie¹⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss S Smith

7/1

Headed on the line when finishing runner up for the second time at (2m AW Kempton) in March, and far from disgraced beaten only 4L in a mares bumper at Cheltenham (2m+) in April; respected on hurdles/seasonal debut.

Form: 224-

Forecasts

Before Midnight (1/2), Cotswold Way (11/2), Moody Maggie (7/1), Stylish Moment (10/1), Celtic Joy (28/1), Cydercourt (33/1), Light Gunner (100/1)

A small field, and perhaps not the deepest of races in terms of quality, but also not the easiest to solve either. Cotswold Way and Stylish Moment have previous hurdling experience, filling the frame behind the easy winner Blu Cavalier at Wincanton in April, with the Philip Hobbs-trained runner showing marked improvement on that occasion. However, a couple of those experiencing hurdles for the first-time are interesting, with both Moody Maggie and BEFORE MIDNIGHT expected to shape well. The selection is bred for hurdling (dam was a 3m winner), and with a game attitude to boot should prove well suited by this step up in trip from bumpers.